Hanna Asrat will become Assistant Principal of Burnett Elementary School after an 11-year career in education.

“I am thrilled to join the Burnett and MUSD communities and am anxious to begin serving the students in Milpitas!” she said.

Asrat began her career teaching both second and third grades at Briarwood and Pomeroy, two kindergarten through fifth-grade schools in Santa Clara Unified School District. As she grew as an educator, Asrat “learned the art of teaching, the skills necessary to plan and deliver lessons and units intentionally developed to support the learning of all students, and the value of collaboration,” she said.

“I’m thrilled that we have hired Hana Asrat as our Assistant Principal for Burnett,” Superintendent Cheryl Jordan said. “Even knowing the potential for budget reductions and savings through a return to the shared elementary AP model that we had, Hana still said, ‘YES!’ to our offer for employment.”

Asrat served as a mentor teacher for three student teachers and served as a member of her school’s leadership, School Site Council, and PTA teams.

“My work with student teachers is when I discovered that I truly enjoy facilitating adult learning,” she said. “That, coupled with a desire to contribute to systemic change for the students most in need, is why I began working at Partners in School Innovation in 2014.”

Asrat has worked at San Jose-based Partners for three years, supporting teachers, instructional coaches, and principals to implement research-based practices that transform schools. She has also honed her skills as a facilitator of adult learning, coach, and leader, bettering her abilities in speaking about race, culture, and identity, and how these factors influence educational outcomes for students.

Currently, in her instructional equity work with Partners in School Innovation, Asrat has been working with Santee Elementary in Franklin-McKinley School District where she coached the staff and principal in implementing professional learning communities and Results Oriented Cycles of Inquiry, and using SEAL strategies.

“School leaders have the ability to impact dozens of adults and, consequently, hundreds of students,” she said. “They set the tone and can help develop a school culture and community that is supportive of and welcoming for all - teachers, students, and families.”

After receiving her bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Stanford University, Asrat went on to receive her teaching credential and Masters in Education from Stanford’s elementary teacher education program.

The MUSD Board of Education is scheduled to ratify Superintendent Jordan’s recommendation for Asrat as the new Assistant Principal during its meeting on August 22.

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​The Governing Board is committed to equal opportunity for all individuals in education. District programs, activities, and practices shall be free from discrimination based on race, color, ancestry, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, or genetic information; the perception of one or more of such characteristics; or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. The Board shall promote programs which ensure that discriminatory practices are eliminated in all district activities. (BP 0410)